Trampoline Enclosure With a Self Closing Door

ABSTRACT

A trampoline enclosure formed from a material such as a netting has a door opening for entry into and exit from the trampoline enclosure and a fold down door panel with at least one resilient member acting to bias the door panel to return the door panel to a closed position from a folded down open position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a trampoline safety enclosure which has anopening for entry and exit by a user, and which further has a selfclosing door for the opening in the enclosure, and to a trampoline andsafety enclosure in combination.

BACKGROUND

A trampoline in its most basic form generally comprises a rebounding matfixed to a support frame so that the mat is supported above the ground.A user jumps or otherwise bounces on the mat. A trampoline may beequipped with a safety enclosure, which extends upwards from the mat tosurround or enclose the rebounding mat to prevent a user from fallingfrom the trampoline. Usually, the safety enclosure is attached to thetrampoline around the edge of, and extends upwards from, the mat.Typically the safety enclosure is formed from mesh or netting. Theenclosure is supported in position by a number of poles which extendupwards from around the edge of the trampoline. Usually these poles areconnected to the frame.

In order to access the rebounding mat, a user must pass from outside theenclosure to the inside. Usually, the enclosure has an access apertureor slot to facilitate this. In one common form, the two adjacent ends ofthe enclosure overlap when the enclosure is ‘wrapped’ around theperimeter of the mat, the overlapping flaps forming a passageway that auser can move through, or which can be opened, to allow access. Theadjacent ends are fastened closed by a zip or similar fastener. Inanother form the edges of the two adjacent ends of the enclosure meet toform a substantially vertical slit in the netting. The slit may befitted with a zip or similar fastening means to fasten the two edgestogether and close the slit if desired. A slit opening can also becreated by cutting the enclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a trampoline safetyenclosure with improved or at least alternative user entry and exitfunctionality.

In a first aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in atrampoline system comprising:

a trampoline, having

a flexible rebounding mat,

a frame, adapted to hold the flexible rebounding mat in tension andaligned in a substantially horizontal plane above the frame,

an enclosure formed from a barrier of a flexible material, having alower peripheral part coupled directly or indirectly to the mat,

a plurality of generally upright enclosure support members connected tothe frame and extending upwards from the frame around the mat,

the enclosure connected to the support members so as to surround the matabove the mat and extend around the mat, the enclosure having, or beingconnected to the mat so as to form, an opening for ingress and egress,

the trampoline system further having a door system comprising:

at least one door panel, sized and shaped to at least partly cover orclose the opening, and,

at least one resilient member associated with and connecting between theat least one door panel and the trampoline, the at least one door panelmovable between an open position allowing ingress and egress, and aclosed position where the door panel at least partly covers or closesthe opening, the resilient member acting to bias the door panel to theclosed position, and to return the door panel to the closed positionfrom the open position.

Preferably the resilient door member is formed from a resilientlyelastic material such as a pultruded fibreglass rod.

Preferably the resilient member is a rod, attached around at least partof the edge of the door panel, and most preferably all of the edge ofthe door panel except for the base of the door panel.

Preferably the two ends of the rod curve outwards to becomesubstantially parallel to the horizontal plane of the rebounding mat,the ends connected to either the mat or the enclosure or both.

Alternatively the two ends of the rod extend downwards past the base ofthe door panel and past the edge of the mat to connect to the frame.

Preferably the frame and the rod are adapted so that the two free endsare connected to the frame to point inwards towards the frame, so thatthe lower part of the main body of the resilient member is bowedoutwards away from the mat.

Preferably the resilient door member is formed as a straight rod, thedoor panel having at least one and preferably a plurality of pockets orloops on or close to the edge of the door, the rod bent and located intothe at least one pocket or loop so as to run around the edge of the doorpanel, or close to the edge of the door panel.

Preferably the base of the door panel is connected to a component of thetrampoline.

Even more preferably the door panel is connected to any one, or acombination of, the frame, the mat, or the enclosure.

Preferably the door panel is made from the same material as the mat.

Preferably the opening is substantially circular.

Alternatively the opening is substantially arch-shaped.

Preferably the perimeter of the opening is reinforced with a pultrudedfibreglass rod.

Preferably the door system has a pair of door panels which overlap tocover or close the opening.

Preferably one of the door panels is located generally to the left ofthe aperture, and one to the right, each door having generally a ‘D’shape and a curved main body, and a sloping straight back to the ‘D’shape, with the bottom corner further away from the aperture than thetop corner of the back of the ‘D’, the right-hand one of the pairreversed, the doors sewn to the enclosure along the sloping part of the‘D’ and at least partly along the top of the main body.

Preferably the main body of each door panel is formed from the samenetting material as the enclosure.

Preferably each door panel has an associated resilient door member,fixed to edge of the door panel with at least one webbing loop or pocketthat extends around the curved section.

Preferably the resilient member is formed from a resiliently elasticmaterial such as a pultruded fibreglass rod.

Preferably the lower part of the end of the rod extends past the lowercorner of the door panel along the perimeter of the mat.

Preferably the opening is substantially circular.

Alternatively the opening is substantially arch-shaped.

Preferably the perimeter of the opening is reinforced with a pultrudedfibreglass rod.

Alternatively the door panel of the door system has a generallytriangular shape with one upright edge of the door panel fixed to theenclosure to form a hinge, and the at least one resilient member is arod fixed to the bottom edge of the door panel so as to run generallyparallel to, and just above, the plane of the mat and extend along thelower edge of the door panel.

Preferably the rod is a straight rod.

Preferably the rod is held in position against the edge of the mat by atleast one loop or pocket and preferably a plurality of loops or pocketson the bottom of the door.

Preferably the rod extends beyond that corner of the door panel wherethe bottom edge meets the hinge edge, and is held in place on thetrampoline by at least one pocket or loop connected to the trampoline.

Preferably the enclosure aperture is a triangular or sail-shaped openingin the enclosure, with one straight, sloped edge, one edge of the doorcongruent with the straight sloped edge of the aperture.

Preferably the door panel is made from the same material as the mat.

Preferably the door is fitted with a door lock comprising:

a plastic ball that is preferably attached to the trampoline, and mostpreferably attached to the enclosure at the perimeter or edge of theaperture via a short length of line or similar,

a slot in the door, the plastic ball pushed through the slot when thedoor is on the closed position, to hold the door closed.

In a second aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in adoor system for a trampoline enclosure having an opening for ingress andegress, the door system comprising:

at least one door panel, at least part of the periphery of the doorpanel forming an attachment edge adapted for attachment to a trampoline,

a resilient spring member attached around at least part of the peripheryof the door panel, the resilient door member formed from a resilientlyelastic material such as a pultruded fibreglass rod, at least one end ofthe rod extending past the edge of the door panel.

Preferably the attachment edge forms a base to the door panel, and theresilient rod is connected to the door panel around the remainder of theperiphery, the two ends of the rod extending past the base edge forattachment to a trampoline.

Preferably the door panel has at least one pocket or loop around theremainder of the periphery of the door panel, the rod bent or otherwiselocated into the at least one pocket or loop.

Preferably the door panel has an arch shape.

Preferably the door panel has a ‘D’ shape with a curved main body and asloping straight back, the sloping back forming the attachment edge, theresilient spring member attached around the periphery of the curved mainbody.

Preferably the resilient door member is connected to the edge of thedoor panel by at least one webbing loop or pocket around the curvedsection.

Alternatively the door panel has a generally triangular shape with oneedge adapted for attachment to the enclosure to form a hinge, and the atleast one resilient member is a straight rod fixed to an adjacent edgeand extending beyond the corner where the adjacent edge and the hingeedge meet.

Preferably the rod is fixed to the adjacent edge by at least one loop orpocket on one edge of the door.

Preferably the rod extends beyond that corner of the door panel wherethe bottom edge meets the hinge edge, and is held in place on thetrampoline by at least one pocket or loop connected to the trampoline.

Preferably the enclosure aperture is a triangular or sail-shaped openingin the enclosure, with one straight, sloped edge, one edge of the doorcongruent with the straight sloped edge of the aperture.

In a third aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in atrampoline enclosure system for a trampoline having a planar horizontaljumping surface, the enclosure system comprising:

an enclosure formed from a barrier of a flexible material, the enclosurein use surrounding the trampoline jumping surface and extending upwardsaround the jumping surface, the enclosure having an opening for ingressand egress,

a door system having at least one door panel, sized and shaped to atleast partly cover or close the opening, and at least one resilientmember associated with the at least one door panel, the at least onedoor panel movable between an open position allowing ingress and egress,and a closed position where the door panel at least partly covers orcloses the opening, the resilient member acting to bias the door panelto the closed position, and to return the door panel to the closedposition from the open position.

Preferably the resilient door member is formed from a resilientlyelastic material such as a pultruded fibreglass rod.

Preferably the resilient member is a rod, bent or shaped and in useconnected to the trampoline so that the two ends of the rod extenddownwards past the edge of the door panel, the rod attached around theedge of the door panel, except for the base of the door panel.

Preferably the resilient door member is formed as a straight rod, thedoor panel having at least one pocket or loop on or close to the edge ofthe door, the rod bent and located into the at least one pocket or loopso as to run around the edge of the door panel, or close to the edge ofthe door panel.

Preferably the opening is substantially circular.

Alternatively the opening is substantially arch-shaped.

Preferably the perimeter of the opening is reinforced with a pultrudedfibreglass rod.

Preferably the door system has a pair of door panels which overlap tocover or close the opening.

Preferably one of the door panels is located generally to the left ofthe aperture, and one to the right, each door having generally a ‘D’shape and a curved main body, and a sloping straight back to the ‘D’shape, with the bottom corner further away from the aperture than thetop corner of the back of the ‘D’, the right-hand one of the pairreversed, the doors sewn to the enclosure along the sloping part of the‘D’ and at least partly along the top of the main body.

Preferably the door panels and the enclosure are formed from the samematerial.

Preferably each door panel has an associated resilient door member,attached to the edge of the door panel by at least one webbing loop orpocket on or extending around the curved section.

Preferably the resilient member is formed from a resiliently elasticmaterial such as a pultruded fibreglass rod.

Preferably the lower part of the end of the rod extends past the lowercorner of the door panel.

Preferably the opening is substantially circular.

Alternatively the opening is substantially arch-shaped.

Preferably the perimeter of the opening is reinforced with a pultrudedfibreglass rod.

Alternatively the door panel of the door system has a generallytriangular shape with one upright edge of the door panel fixed to theenclosure to form a hinge, and the at least one resilient member is arod fixed to the bottom edge of the door panel so as to run generallyparallel to, and just above, the plane of the jumping surface in use andextend along the lower edge of the door panel.

Preferably the rod is a straight rod.

Preferably the rod extends beyond that corner of the door panel wherethe bottom edge meets the hinge edge.

Preferably the enclosure aperture is a triangular or sail-shaped openingin the enclosure, with one straight, sloped edge, one edge of the doorcongruent with the straight sloped edge of the aperture to form thehinge.

Preferably the door is fitted with a door lock comprising:

a plastic ball that is preferably attached to the trampoline, and mostpreferably attached to the enclosure at the perimeter or edge of theaperture via a short length of line or similar,

a slot in the door, the plastic ball pushed through the slot when thedoor is on the closed position, to hold the door closed.

The term “comprising” as used in this specification and indicativeindependent claims means “consisting at least in part of”. Wheninterpreting each statement in this specification and indicativeindependent claims that includes the term “comprising”, features otherthan that or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Relatedterms such as “comprise” and “comprises” are to be interpreted in thesame manner.

As used herein the term “and/or” means “and” or “or”, or both.

As used herein “(s)” following a noun means the plural and/or singularforms of the noun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described by way of example withreference to the accompany drawings in which:

FIG. 1 a shows a first preferred embodiment of trampoline system, whichhas a frame, a jumping mat and an enclosure net held above, andsurrounding, the jumping mat to form an enclosed jumping area, the frameand jumping mat connected via a number of fiberglass rods extendingupwards from the frame to the edge of the mat.

FIG. 1 b shows a second preferred embodiment of trampoline system, whichalso has a frame, a jumping mat and an enclosure net held above, andsurrounding, the jumping mat to form an enclosed jumping area, the frameand jumping mat connected via a number of springs aligned generallyhorizontally and extending outwards from the mat to the frame.

FIG. 2 shows a first preferred form of aperture in the enclosure net,which allows a user to enter and exit the jumping area, the aperturesubstantially circular and having a reinforced edge.

FIG. 3 a shows a first preferred form of door system for closing anaperture such as the one shown in FIG. 2, the door system having a doorpanel located on the inside of the enclosure net, which pivots aroundthe lower edge, and a self-closing mechanism around at least part of theedge of the door biasing the door panel towards a closed position.

FIGS. 3 b shows a variation of the door system of FIG. 3 a, for closingan aperture such as the one shown in FIG. 2, the door panel pivotingaround the lower edge.

FIG. 4 a shows a second preferred form of door system for closing anaperture such as the one shown in FIG. 2, the door system having a pairof overlapping doors located one on each side of the aperture, each doorhaving an associated resilient member which acts as a self-closingmechanism to bias the door panel towards a closed position, the doorsystem shown in the closed position.

FIG. 4 b shows the second preferred form of door system of FIG. 4 a withthe doors in the open position, the doors twisted over themselves toform a loop above the top of the aperture.

FIG. 5 shows a third preferred form of door system, the enclosureaperture in this embodiment being triangular or sail-shaped with onestraight, sloped edge, the door panel having a triangular shape andoverlapping the aperture on the inside of the aperture, with one edge ofthe door congruent with and fixed to the straight sloped edge of theaperture to form a hinge, an associated resilient door member fixed tothe bottom edge of the door which runs generally parallel to, and justabove, the plane of the jumping mat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show preferred embodiments of a trampoline system 1.As shown in both FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, in each embodiment a trampoline hasa frame 4, a rebounding mat 5, and a safety enclosure 2 held in positionby a number of enclosure support members or poles 6. The mat 5 is heldabove the ground in tension and substantially horizontal. The enclosuresupport members 6 support the enclosure 2 so that the enclosuresurrounds and extends upwards from the mat 4 to form an enclosed jumpingarea. In both embodiment the poles 6 are connected to, and extendupwards from, the frame 4. The enclosures are of a type described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,708,672 and 7,854,687 which are hereby incorporated byreference.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a, the mat 5 is held in positionrelative to the frame by a number of flexible rods running from theframe to the edge of the trampoline, with the frame 5 locatedsubstantially below the mat 5. Where it would be applicable to do so inthis specification, ‘frame’ should be read as being inclusive of theflexible rods. The trampoline is of a type described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,319,174 and 8,105,211 which are hereby incorporated by reference.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 b, a portion of the frame 4 isgenerally in the same horizontal plane as the mat 5 and surrounds theperimeter of the mat 5, with a gap between the frame and the mat inwhich springs 3 extend between the frame 4 and edge of the mat 5. Whereit would be applicable to do so in this specification, ‘frame’ should beread as being inclusive of the springs.

The enclosure 2 is, in the preferred embodiment, formed from netting,such as nylon webbing. An opening or aperture 7 is formed in theenclosure 2 to allow ingress or egress from the jumping area.

FIG. 2 shows a first preferred form of aperture 7 a. A circular hole 7 ais formed in the enclosure 2 by cutting or similar. The aperture isformed so that the lowest point of the hole 7 a is just above thesurface of the mat. The edge of the aperture 7 a is reinforced with asurrounding pocket 8, which contains a fibreglass rod or similar tostabilise the hole shape and to hold the aperture 7 a open. The materialthat forms the surrounding pocket 8 can also be coloured to help a usereasily identify the location of the aperture 7 a. Alternatively anarch-shaped aperture such as that shown in FIG. 3 a could be used forexample. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 a, the surrounding pocket 8is arch-shaped, with the two lower ends terminating at the horizontalplane of the mat 5.

The enclosure has a door system for covering and closing the aperture 7a when the trampoline system is in use. The door system has two mainparts: a door panel, and a self-closing mechanism which biases the doorpanel into a closed position. When a force is applied to the door toopen it or otherwise move it away from a fully closed position, theself-closing mechanism will act on the door to return it to the closedposition when the opening force is removed from the door.

Bottom Levered Door

In the form shown in FIG. 3 a the door system has a door 9 a which is asingle panel. The door 9 a has the overall form of a solid arch in theclosed position, with the sides flaring or curving outwards away fromthe side of the arch-shaped aperture (although these could also bestraight sided). The sides of the arch rise upwards from the base of thedoor 9 a, which is located at or close to the mat 5, and then transitionto a curved or rounded top which arches over the top of the door panel.In the preferred form the base of the door panel 9 a is connected eitherto the mat or to the enclosure, but could also be connected to theframe, or left unconnected. The door 9 a is sized and shaped to coverand overlap the circular or arch-shaped opening or aperture 7 a and issized and located so as to overlap around the edge of the opening 7 a.It is most preferred that the door 9 a is made from the same material asthe mat. The door system also has a resilient door member 10 a, which isconnected around the edge of the door 9 a. In the preferred form, theresilient member 10 a is a rod, bent or shaped so as to fit around theedge of the arch-shaped door 9 a, except for the base of the door 9 a.In the preferred form, the two free ends 11 a of the resilient member 10a extend around the edge of the door, and flare or curve outwards(following the edge of the door) so that the two ends curve to becomeparallel or nearly parallel to the horizontal plane of the mat 5. In thepreferred form, the resilient door member 10 a is formed from aresiliently elastic material such as a pultruded fibreglass rod, so thatit will maintain its shape when no force is applied to it, but if bentaway from its natural or rest state by the application of an externalforce, will return to its original shape when the bending force isremoved. The resilient door member 10 a is, in the preferred form,formed as a straight rod and then bent to connect it to the edge of thedoor 9 a via a single pocket or loop along the edge of the door, or viaa number of pockets or loops 12 attached to and spaced around the edge,or close to the edge, of the door 9 a. It should be noted that in thiscontext, ‘connected’ and ‘attached’ should be taken to mean eitherremovably attached or connected, or permanently attached or connected.As outlined above, the pockets or loops 12 could be a single pocketextending partly or fully around the edge, or close to the edge, of thedoor, or a number of pockets or loops spaced around the edge of thedoor. Alternatively, the door member 10 a could be initially formed asan arch shape or part arch shape.

When a user wishes to enter or exit the jumping area, they open the door9 a by pushing or pulling it so that it rotates inwards towards the mat5. This bends the resilient door member 10 a away from the closedposition, and spring energy is stored in the resilient door member 10 a.The user then enters or exits the jumping area. Depending on where thedoor is pushed, it will bend or twist down either to the left or to theright. Once door 9 a is released, the resilient door member 10 a willunbend and release the stored spring energy, and the door will return tothe closed position.

A variant of the bottom levered door system of FIG. 3 a is shown in FIG.3 b, which shows the door when open ie pushed down onto the mat. The twoends 11 b of the resilient door member 10 b extend substantiallydirectly downwards past the base of the door 9 a and past the edge ofthe mat 5. The ends 11 b extend directly downwards, and are mostpreferably connected to the frame 4. However, the ends 11 b could beconnected to any other substantially rigid part of the trampolinestructure. Fitting the two free ends 11 b to the frame 4 involvesslightly bending the lower portion of the resilient door member 10 b sothat the two free ends 11 b point inwards towards the frame, and thelower part of the main body is bowed outwards away from the mat 5. Thisadds tension so that as the member 10 b attempts to return to itsoriginal shape, it will press itself, and the door 9 b, outwards againstthe enclosure 2.

When a user wishes to enter or exit the jumping area, they open the door9 b by pushing or pulling it so that it rotates inwards towards the mat5 (to the position shown in FIG. 3 b). This bends the resilient doormember 10 b away from the closed position, and spring energy is storedin the resilient door member 10 b. The user then enters or exits thejumping area. In this variant, the door opens directly towards the mat,without necessarily twisting to the left or right side. Once door isreleased, the resilient door member 10 b will unbend and release thestored spring energy, and the door will return to the closed position.

For both variants, it is most preferred that the door is on the insideof the enclosure wall, and that the door 9 a or 9 b is sized to overlapthe edges of the aperture 7 so that it is held against the enclosure andthe edge of the aperture. However, in alternative forms the door couldbe located on the outside of the enclosure.

Double Door

In the form shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b the enclosure 2 and enclosureaperture 7 are as described above. The ‘double door’ door system hastwo, or a pair of, overlapping doors, each of which are shown as doors 9c in FIG. 4. One of the doors is located generally to the left of theaperture, and one to the right. Each door has generally a ‘D’ shape whenviewed from outside the enclosure, with the right-hand one of the pairreversed, so that the ‘D’ shape is reversed or backwards when viewedfrom outside the enclosure. Each of the doors has a curved main body(this is inclusive of a short, straight horizontal section at the topand a longer straight horizontal section at the bottom) and a slopingstraight back to the ‘D’ shape, with the bottom corner further away fromthe aperture than the top corner of the back of the ‘D’. The shorthorizontal section at the top is generally aligned horizontally andtangential to the circular door aperture. The doors are sewn to theenclosure along the sloping part of the ‘D’ and for a small distance atthe top—generally to around the point at which the tangential line ofthe top of the door would contact the circular aperture. The main bodyof each door is formed from the same netting material as the enclosure.Each door has a resilient door member 10 c associated with it. Theresilient door member 10 c is similar to the member 10 a describedabove. Each resilient door member 10 c is fixed to edge of itsassociated door with, preferably, a number of webbing loops 13 aroundthe curved section of the ‘D’ (preferably including the short horizontalsection at the top and the longer section at the bottom), but could befitted with a single loop or pocket that extends around, or close to,the perimeter or curved section of the ‘D’.

To access the trampoline a user puts his or her hand or hands under thebottom edge of the doors and lifts. When lifted up the doors 9 c twistover themselves and form a small loop above the top of the aperture.This action bends the rods or resilient door members 10 c and puts themin tension (adds spring energy). When released the doors flick back downto cover the aperture. In a similar manner to that outlined above forthe bottom levered door, when in the closed position, the rods areslightly bent in tension to follow the outside curve of the circularmat, and the spring energy in the rods will hold the doors against theenclosure to maintain the doors in the closed position.

Sloped Hinge

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the enclosure 2 is generally as describedabove. However, in this embodiment, the enclosure aperture 7 d is atriangular or sail-shaped opening in the enclosure, as shown in FIG. 5,with one straight, sloped edge 14. The door 9 d is a triangular shapeand in the preferred embodiment is made from the same material as themat. As above, the door is larger than the aperture 7 d so as to overlapon the inside, with one edge of the door congruent with the straightsloped edge of the aperture described above. The door 9 d is fixed tothe enclosure along the congruent edge to form a hinge. A rod orresilient door member 10 d is fixed to the bottom edge of the door,which is generally parallel to, and just above, the plane of the mat,with the resilient door member 10 d extending all the way along thelower edge of the door and slightly beyond the corner of the door wherethe bottom edge of the door meets the hinge edge. The rod is fixed tothe bottom edge of the door by at least one and preferably a number ofloops or pockets along or close to the bottom edge of the door. Theextending end of the rod is preferably held in place on the trampolineby similar mechanism. A user opens the door towards the inside of thetrampoline by pushing on the door to pivot the door around the hinge.This adds spring energy to the rod along the bottom edge, and whenreleased, the door will therefore return to the closed position. In thepreferred embodiment, the door member 10 d is a straight rod. In themost preferred embodiment, the edge of the trampoline enclosure isslightly curved, as the mat is circular. Therefore when the straight rod10 d is held in position against the edge of the mat by the loops orpocket on the bottom of the door and along the edge of the enclosure,the rod 10 d will be slightly bent and therefore in tension, helping tohold the door closed. However, it should be noted that thisconfiguration is not a required configuration.

Door Lock

Optionally the door or doors can be fitted with a door lock. In thepreferred embodiment the door lock consists of a plastic ball that ispreferably attached to the enclosure, and most preferably to theperimeter of the aperture around the reinforcement which is locatedaround the edge of the aperture, via a short length of line or similar.The plastic ball corresponds to a slot in the door. To hold or ‘lock’the door closed, the plastic ball is pushed through the slot. When thedoor is pulled or pushed, the line attaching the ball to the enclosureis pulled to one end of the slot. At the same time, the slot is pulledclosed by the tension generated. This prevents the ball from beingreleased, and thus the door is held closed.

The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred formsthereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from thescope of the invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.

1. A trampoline system comprising: a trampoline, having a flexiblerebounding mat, a frame, adapted to hold the flexible rebounding mat intension in a substantially horizontal plane above the frame, anenclosure formed from a barrier of a flexible material, having a lowerperipheral part coupled directly or indirectly to the mat, a pluralityof generally upright enclosure support members connected to the frameand extending upwards from the frame around the mat, the enclosureconnected to the support members so as to surround the mat above the matand extend around the mat, the enclosure having, or being connected tothe mat so as to form, an opening for ingress and egress, the trampolinesystem further having a door system comprising: at least one door panel,sized and shaped to at least partly cover or close the opening, and, atleast one resilient member associated with and connecting between the atleast one door panel and the trampoline, the at least one door panelmovable between an open position allowing ingress and egress, and aclosed position where the door panel at least partly covers or closesthe opening, the resilient member acting to bias the door panel to theclosed position, and to return the door panel to the closed positionfrom the open position.
 2. (canceled)
 3. A trampoline system as claimedin claim 1 wherein the resilient member is a rod, attached around anedge of the door panel.
 4. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 3wherein the two ends of the rod curve outwards to become substantiallyparallel to the horizontal plane of the rebounding mat, the endsconnected to either the mat or the enclosure or both.
 5. A trampolinesystem as claimed in claim 3 wherein the two ends of the rod extenddownwards past the base of the door panel and past the edge of the matto connect to the frame.
 6. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 5wherein the frame and the rod are adapted so that the two free ends areconnected to the frame to point inwards towards the frame, so that thelower part of the main body of the resilient member is bowed outwardsaway from the mat.
 7. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe resilient deer member is formed as a straight rod, the door panelhaving one or more pockets or loops on or close to the edge of the door,the rod bent and located into the one or more pockets or loops so as torun around the edge of the door panel, or close to the edge of the doorpanel.
 8. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the base ofthe door panel is connected to a component of the trampoline.
 9. Atrampoline system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the base of the doorpanel is connected to any one, or a combination of, the frame, the mat,or the enclosure. 10-11. (canceled)
 12. A trampoline system as claimedin claim 1 wherein the opening is substantially arch-shaped.
 13. Atrampoline system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the perimeter of theopening is reinforced with a pultruded fibreglass rod.
 14. A trampolinesystem as claimed in claim 1 wherein the door system has a pair of doorpanels which overlap to cover or close the opening.
 15. A trampolinesystem as claimed in claim 14 wherein one of the door panels is locatedgenerally to the left of the aperture, and one to the right, each doorhaving generally a ‘D’ shape and a curved main body, and a slopingstraight back to the ‘D’ shape, with the bottom corner further away fromthe aperture than the top corner of the back of the ‘D’, the right-handone of the pair reversed, the doors sewn to the enclosure along thesloping part of the ‘D’ and at least partly along the top of the mainbody.
 16. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the mainbody of each door panel is formed from the same netting material as theenclosure.
 17. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 14 wherein eachdoor panel has an associated resilient member, fixed to edge of the doorpanel with at least one webbing loop or pocket that extends around thecurved section.
 18. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 17 whereinthe resilient member comprises a pultruded fibreglass rod.
 19. Atrampoline system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the lower part of theend of the rod extends past the lower corner of the door panel along theperimeter of the mat. 20-22. (canceled)
 23. A trampoline system asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the door panel of the door system has agenerally triangular shape with one upright edge of the door panel fixedto the enclosure to form a hinge, and the at least one resilient memberis a rod fixed to the bottom edge of the door panel so as to rungenerally parallel to, and just above, the plane of the mat and extendalong the lower edge of the door panel.
 24. A trampoline system asclaimed in claim 23 wherein the rod is a straight rod.
 25. A trampolinesystem as claimed in claim 23 wherein the rod is held in positionagainst the edge of the mat by one or more loops or pockets on thebottom of the door.
 26. A trampoline system as claimed in claim 23wherein the rod extends beyond that corner of the door panel where thebottom edge meets the hinge edge, and is held in place on the trampolineby one or more loops or pockets connected to the trampoline.
 27. Atrampoline system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the enclosure apertureis a triangular or sail-shaped opening in the enclosure, with onestraight, sloped edge, one edge of the door congruent with the straightsloped edge of the aperture. 28-29. (canceled)
 30. A door system for atrampoline enclosure having an opening for ingress and egress, the doorsystem comprising: at least one door panel, at least part of theperiphery of the door panel forming an attachment edge adapted forattachment to a trampoline, a resilient spring member attached around atleast part of the periphery of the door panel, the resilient door memberformed from a resiliently elastic material such as a pultrudedfibreglass rod, at least one end of the rod extending past the edge ofthe door panel. 31-39. (canceled)
 40. A trampoline enclosure system fora trampoline comprising: an enclosure formed from a barrier of aflexible material for in use surrounding a trampoline jumping surfaceand extending upwards around the jumping surface, the enclosure havingan opening for ingress and egress, a door system having at least onedoor panel, sized and shaped to at least partly cover or close theopening, and at least one resilient member associated with the at leastone door panel, the at least one door panel movable between an openposition allowing ingress and egress, and a closed position where thedoor panel at least partly covers or closes the opening, the resilientmember acting to bias the door panel to the closed position, and toreturn the door panel to the closed position from the open position. 41.(canceled)
 42. A trampoline enclosure system as claimed in claim 40wherein the resilient member is a rod, bent or shaped and in useconnected to the trampoline so that the two ends of the rod extenddownwards past the edge of the door panel, the rod attached around theedge of the door panel, except for the base of the door panel.
 43. Atrampoline enclosure system as claimed in claim 40 wherein the resilientmember is formed as a straight rod, the door panel having at least onepocket or loop on or close to the edge of the door, the rod bent andlocated into the at least one pocket or loop so as to run around theedge of the door panel, or close to the edge of the door panel. 44-46.(canceled)
 47. A trampoline enclosure system as claimed in claim 40wherein the door system has a pair of door panels which overlap to coveror close the opening.
 48. A trampoline enclosure system as claimed inclaim 47 wherein one of the door panels is located generally to the leftof the aperture, and one to the right, each door having generally a ‘D’shape and a curved main body, and a sloping straight back to the ‘D’shape, with the bottom corner further away from the aperture than thetop corner of the back of the ‘D’, the right-hand one of the pairreversed, the doors sewn to the enclosure along the sloping part of the‘D’ and at least partly along the top of the main body.
 49. (canceled)50. A trampoline enclosure system as claimed in claim 47 wherein eachdoor panel has an associated resilient member, attached to the edge ofthe door panel by at least one webbing loop or pocket on or extendingaround the curved section. 51-55. (canceled)
 56. A trampoline enclosuresystem as claimed in claim 40 wherein the door panel of the door systemhas a generally triangular shape with one upright edge of the door panelfixed to the enclosure to form a hinge, and the at least one resilientmember is a rod fixed to the bottom edge of the door panel so as to rungenerally parallel to, and just above, the plane of the jumping surfacein use and extend along the lower edge of the door panel. 57-60.(canceled)